Striking A Chord

What's the effect of four deployments on an American soldier? Susan Cohn Rockefeller's new documentary Striking a Chord (http://strikingachordthemovie.com/) is a window on that world, where troops maneuver between constant threat and crushing boredom. It's also a look at how music can provide some relief and a return, however brief, to normalcy. The backdrop to the story of Striking a Chord is the somber reality of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and its devastating and isolating effects. Striking a Chord reminds us that when our soldiers return home, they need special care and attention; PTSD is a disorder that many veterans are ashamed to speak about. Yet it's all too common, and, as the film shows, music can provide a way to begin the healing process.